Straining-hook.



A. G. SOISTMANN.

STRAINING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEWER/1,1909.

1,039,834, Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

I TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH G. SOISTMANN, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

STRAINING-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anonrn. G. 8018'!- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Straining-I'Iook, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in straining hooks for musical instruments, especially such instruments as drums,banjos, etc., having stretchable heads.

The object is to provide improved means for connecting and applying tension to the hooks without causing undesirable distortion of any of the connecting parts. For eX ample, one of the hooks now in common use, has a long neck through which passes a threaded rod and as this neck is at one side of the hook, it "follows that tension exerted by the threaded rod upon the neck to one side of the hook, causes an uneven or lateral pressure on the connecting rod and tends to distort and break the same.

The essential feature of the present invention. is to provide a pivoted or trunnion connection between the connecting rod and one or both of a pair of oppositely disposed hooks, or between the connecting rod and other associated straining mechanism.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drum with. my improved device. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved hook member. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a trunnioned collar having a smooth bore. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a trunnioned collar interiorly threaded. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a pair of hooks, a rod and connecting mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of means for connecting oppositely extending rods with the middle part of the drum.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As a concrete example I show in the drawings, the application of my invention to a drum. The straining hook 7 may be stamped out of sheet metal and bent into shape as shown in Fig. 2. It comprises the hook portion 8 and the wings 9, each wing being provided with an inclined recess 10. These recesses are adapted to receive the trunnions 11 of a collar or sleeve member 12, 15. Sleeve member 12 may be smooth bore as shown in Fig. 3, and adapted to fit over the straining rod 13 and engage with the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 4, 1909.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

Serial No. 516,269.

head 14, or a threaded sleeve 15 may be used as indicated in Fig. %l, tor cooperation with the threaded portion 16 of the straining rod.

In Figs. 5 and (l, I show a single straining rod 13 connecting two hook members 7. The upper trunnioned sleeve 12 is smooth bore and moves loosely over straining rod 13 and engages with head 14, while the lower trunnioned member 15, is interiorly threaded for cooperation with the thread 16 of said straining rod.

By the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, both heads of the drum will be under the same tension, which tension is regulated by the turning of the rod 13 in one direction or the other by means of the slotted head 14L in the usual way. hen, however, it is desired to have the tension of each head inde pendent of the other, I provide the channeled member 26, which is secured to the middle portion of the drum by means of bolts 17, or by any other suitable means. This channeled member 26 is provided with the oppositely disposed pairs of inclined re cesses l8 and 19, to receive the trunnions 11 of threaded sleeves 15. These threaded sleeves are adapted to receive the ends of the oppositely extending straining rods 20 and 21, so that the turning of one rod will effect the tension of one head only withoutv eliecting the tension of the other head.

The operation of the device is as follows The trunnioned engagement of the sleeve with the wings of the straining hook, permits a pivotal motion between said trunnioned member and the hook, and conse quently between the straining rod and the hook member. This permits a relative movement between hook and rod, due to the tendency of the rod, when under tension, to approach the line passing through the points of engagement of the hooks with the drum. Of course this movement is usually very slight, controlled largely by the fit of the hook on the drum. By such relative movement which is permitted by the trunnioned engagement, any tendency to distort or break the straining rod is obviated.

lVhat I claim is 1. In a tightening mechanism for drums and the like, the combination of a rod, a hook, and a separable swiveling connecting member between the rod and the hook.

2. In a drum tightening device, the combination of cooperating threaded members,

having inclined recesses, sleeves provided with trunnions engaging in the recesses and a connecting rod engaging the sleeves.

5. In a tightening mechanism for drums and the like, the combination of oppositely disposed hook members provided with wings having inclined recesses, sleeves provided with trunnions engaging in the recesses and a connecting rod engaging the sleeves, said rod having threaded engagement with a sleeve.

ADOLPH G. SQISTMANN. Witnesses MAE HOFMANN, HOWARD S. OKIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

